A suburban Chicago man who pleaded guilty to and was convicted of murder in a 2001 slaying has been granted a retrial after he argued that his previous 30-year prison sentence was not harsh enough. The man, however, hopes the move will lead to him spending less time in prison.

"The supreme court recognized that the State has the authority to enter plea agreements on charges of its choosing; however, a trial court does not have the authority to accept a negotiated guilty plea below the mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years'
imprisonment for first degree murder with the use of a firearm," the filing reads.

Since the sentence was less than the minimum required by law, Deanda's lawyers were able to argue the need for a new trial. Rather than pursue a longer sentence at the trial, however, Levi Harris, an assistant public defender, told the Tribune his client wants to pursue a self-defense argument.